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Single Idea 5869

[filed under theme 8. Modes of Existence / E. Nominalism / 1. Nominalism / b. Nominalism about universals ]

Full Idea

The thesis that there is a Form either of good or indeed of anything else is verbal and vacuous.

Gist of Idea

The thesis of the Form of the Good (or of anything else) is verbal and vacuous

Source

Aristotle (Eudemian Ethics [c.333 BCE], 1217b20)

Book Ref

Aristotle: 'Eudemian Ethics I,II and VIII', ed/tr. Woods,Michael [OUP 1992], p.9

A Reaction

This is clear evidence for suggesting that Aristotle is a nominalist. Elsewhere his essentialism suggests otherwise, but clearly on grumpy days he thought that universals were mere verbal conventions.

The 16 ideas with the same theme [denial of the real existence of universals]:

5869 The thesis of the Form of the Good (or of anything else) is verbal and vacuous [Aristotle]
10396 If 'animal' is wholly present in Socrates and an ass, then 'animal' is rational and irrational [Abelard, by King,P]
10395 Abelard was an irrealist about virtually everything apart from concrete individuals [Abelard, by King,P]
9103 A universal is not a real feature of objects, but only a thought-object in the mind [William of Ockham]
15388 Universals are single things, and only universal in what they signify [William of Ockham]
17247 The only generalities or universals are names or signs [Hobbes]
7717 All things that exist are particulars [Locke]
7718 Universals do not exist, but are useful inventions of the mind, involving words or ideas [Locke]
6715 Universals do not have single meaning, but attach to many different particulars [Berkeley]
6719 No one will think of abstractions if they only have particular ideas [Berkeley]
23650 Only individuals exist [Reid]
9006 Commitment to universals is as arbitrary or pragmatic as the adoption of a new system of bookkeeping [Quine]
15402 There is no entity called 'redness', and that some things are red is ultimate and irreducible [Quine]
8576 The One over Many problem (in predication terms) deserves to be neglected (by ostriches) [Lewis]
8503 The particular/universal distinction is unhelpful clutter; we should accept 'a is F' as basic [Devitt]
4232 Nominalists believe that only particulars exist [Lowe]